Ruins of Ravencroft: Dracula Vol 1 1
(Title) | NextIssue = (Title) | Editor-in-Chief = C.B. Cebulski | CoverArtist1 = Gerardo Sandoval | CoverArtist2 = Romulo Fajardo, Jr. | Production1_1 = Anthony Gambino | Quotation = I've been quiet for too long. Allowed too much to happen here. I was weak and afraid. But no longer. You came here and took over my facility, ruining it with your clandestine experiments. But if you and your government goons want experiments... then have them. | Speaker = Jonas Ravencroft | StoryTitle1 = | Writer1_1 = Frank Tieri | Penciler1_1 = Angel Unzueta | Penciler1_2 = Stefano Landini | Inker1_1 = Angel Unzueta | Inker1_2 = Stefano Landini | Colourist1_1 = Rachelle Rosenberg | Letterer1_1 = Travis Lanham | Editor1_1 = Devin Lewis | Editor1_2 = Danny Khazem | Editor1_3 = Nick Lowe | Appearing1 = Featured Characters: * * Supporting Characters: * * * * * * * Antagonists: * ** ** ** ** ** Numerous unnamed others Other Characters: * * Ravencroft Inmates ** ** ** ** An unidentified ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** * ** * * * ** *** * William Adams' wife * * * Ravencroft guards * * Races and Species: * * * * * * Early Humans * * * * * * * * * * * Locations: * ** *** **** ***** ****** Ravencroft Institute's basement ******* Unwanted's cell ******* Weapon Plus laboratory **** ***** ****** ** / *** **** ** * Items: * * * * * * * and * * * World War IICategory:World War II | Synopsis1 = As Mister Fantastic opens the door labelled "Unwanted" in the secret laboratory under Ravencroft Institute, he turns to John Jameson and asks if he's ready. John transforms into Man-Wolf, Luke Cage remarking that he'll never get used to doing that as he, Iron Fist, Misty Knight, and Falcon approach. Falcon quips that John being a werewolf is the most mundane of all of their powersets, adding that he used to be a werewolf himself. Misty verifies this but says that "mundane" is the last word she'd use to describe what they're up against, hence why she called for backup. Entering the chamber, they find it empty and intact, Mister Fantastic expressing confusion and Man-Wolf wondering if it was a hallucination. Coming up behind them, Winter Soldier plucks the Journal of Jonas Ravencroft from Man-Wolf's hands and assures him that the Unwanted are all too real and that he saw them himself. Excepted from the Journal of Jonas Ravencroft, Dr. Ravencroft notes that as time passed he came to regret having dismissed Dr. Claudia Russell's belief that the supernatural occurrences that frequented the region were more than mere fairy tales. In 1918, a man calling himself the Master of the World was brought to the Institute claiming to be a 40,000-year-old caveman. In 1923, mobster Al Capone escaped from the institute alongside Silas Burr. In 1932, the Skin Walker - a humanoid entity with a deer skull-like face and antlers - visited the Institute. Dr. Ravencroft notes that what changed his mind was an encounter in 1933 with Loki Laufeyson - the Norse god of mischief - who was admitted to the institute. Loki smugly demanded to be released, Dr. Ravencroft attempting to explain that the Institute was only trying to help him overcome his delusions. Loki mockingly told Dr. Ravencroft to check his reflection, Dr. Ravencroft turning to see himself wearing a straitjacket. Turning to see Loki had vanished and that himself and the orderlies were all clad in straitjackets, he looked out the window to see Loki standing outside and waving at him. Dr. Ravencroft laments that this realization hadn't occurred years earlier when Dr. Nathaniel Essex had worked at Ravencroft Institute, and that the mad scientist had defected to Nazi Germany to continue his experiments. Noting that he would have been happy to never hear from Dr. Essex again, Dr. Ravencroft laments that what came afterwards was arguably even worse. In 1945, a vampire is strapped to an operating table as he is injected with a syringe, demanding to know what's being done to him. As he screams in pain, his eyes abruptly burst; Professor Thorton apologizing to John Falsworth and saying that wasn't supposed to have happened. Standing behind him, the Blood Baron coldly remarks to the Weapon Plus director that he's been saying "I'm sorry," far too often for his liking, wondering if he should have defected to the Allies. As Count Dracula agrees, Professor Thorton protests that they asked him to cure the vampires of their weaknesses - something that isn't going to happen overnight, and that the Nazis are currently in the process of losing the war. Dracula grabs him by the throat and lifts him off the ground, angrily dismissing Professor Thorton as nothing more than meat. The Weapon Plus guards aim guns at him, Dracula mockingly asking what they think such impotent weapons will do to him only to be told they're loaded with silver bullets. Professor Thorton urges everyone to calm down and to not be too hasty to end an agreement that is still mutually beneficial. Professor Thorton tells Dracula that they just need more time, but the vampire lord retorts that is something they've run out of - pointing to a viewscreen showing a smashed window. Upstairs, Captain America and Bucky Barnes warily advance down one of the institute's hallways; the latter remarking that he's uncomfortable with what they're doing. Captain America agrees, but says this is the only way he can think of to save his childhood friend and war-buddy Lt. William "Bud" Adams, who was admitted to the asylum for PTSD and hasn't been heard from since. Bucky remarks that he understands before being taken aback by a wave of mist filling the hallway. Manifesting, Dracula confronts them; Bucky remarking that he might just check himself in after this. Captain America tells Bucky to go find Bud while he takes care of Dracula. Dr. Ravencroft notes in his journal that he knew every hallway and hidden passage of the Institute he founded, angry that the government had commandeered the place of healing he had created and turned his patients into lab rats, and that he was too much of a coward to stop them; stating that the disease that Dr. Essex had introduced had metastasized into a cancer that he must now remove. A pair of Weapon Plus guards haul an inmate to the "Unwanted" cell and throw him inside, sadistically quipping about the monsters the experiments have been creating; Dr. Ravencroft watching from the shadows. Bucky attacks the Weapon Plus guards and demands to know where Bud is, the guard pointing to a door. Opening it, Bucky is horrified to see Bud transformed into a grotesque monster with a cancerous mass of wings, claws, pointed ears, fangs, and other body parts engulfing the left side of his body. Spotting Bucky, Bud begs to be put out of his misery. As Captain America throws his shield at Dracula, the vampire lord mocks how easy it is to dodge and wondering how the Blood Baron could have had so much trouble against a mere human. Dracula transforms into a bat to evade the shield before slamming Captain America to the ground, Captain America smirking as the shield rebounds and strikes Dracula in the back of the head. Remarking that while he may just be a man he knows a thing or two about strategy, Captain America pins Dracula only to be hauled off by the Blood Baron. As Weapon Plus soldiers hold Captain America at gunpoint, Professor Thorton apologizes and says that while Steve Rogers may have come from the first Weapon Plus program he can't let him live with the knowledge of what's going on at Ravencroft. Dr. Ravencroft interrupts, Professor Thorton snapping at him to leave before he decides to eliminate him as well. Dr. Ravencroft states that he's let Weapon Plus run rampant for far too long, smiling nastily as he says that if Professor Thorton and his thugs want experiments they can have them. The Unwanted - vampiric abominations created by Weapon Plus' experiments - emerge from the shadows behind Dr. Ravencroft and vengefully attack the Weapon Plus guards. In his journal's narration, Dr. Ravencroft notes that the Institute he created has caused more harm than good, and that he cannot let this be his legacy and will end things on his own terms. Baron Blood and Count Dracula leave, Bucky telling Captain America that Bud is dead. Dr. Ravencroft picks up a fallen pistol and confronts Professor Thorton, who begs for mercy and protests that he was only following orders. Remarking that he's glad to not be Professor Thorton, Dr. Ravencroft shoots himself in the head. In the present, John Jameson and Misty Knight stand in the new and improved Ravencroft - rebuilt as a state-of-the-art facility; Misty commenting on the dark secret history of the institute before wondering how the Unwanted wound up back in their cell and how they mysteriously vanished. Walking over to the window, Misty notes that the show must go on. Exiting the building, they watch as a group of supervillains are led out of a transport van; Mister Hyde mockingly threatening Jameson before Misty threatens to punch his teeth out. As Jameson notes that they have their work cut out for them, a voice agrees and they turn to see Norman Osborn exiting a limousine. Jameson and Misty incredulously demand to know why the former Green Goblin isn't being locked up with the rest of the inmates, Norman gloating that he managed to escape repercussions by blaming his villainy on being controlled by the Carnage symbiote. As Norman states that he was hired as a consultant and mockingly states that he's looking forward to working with him, Jameson laments to Misty that history seems doomed to repeat itself. | Solicit = To the men and women of the Marvel Universe, Ravencroft Institute for the Criminally Insane appeared to be a hospital devoted to the rehabilitation of society’s most violent offenders. But appearances can be deceptive, and -- as Captain America learned the hard way – some secrets have teeth. | Notes = | Trivia = | Recommended = | Links = }} Category:Digital Comic Code included